Research shows that students who are properly nourished have improved academic achievement, as well as fewer absences and behavioral incidents. Caregivers, educators, cafeteria staff and administrators play a pivotal role in promoting healthier foods in the school setting. KCPT’s Barbra Porter sits down with some of these folks to talk about the challenges, tips and success stories in our region’s schools. KCPT goes into the kitchen at Plaza de Ninos to look at the Farm to Table program done in collaboration with Good Natured Family Farms, we pop in on Nutra-Net‘s Teen Health Mentor program in the Independence School District and the Hickman Mills school district shows off their various programs intended to combat food insecurity and hunger.
Download the “Nutrition Across the School Day” resource guide.
Download Nutra-Net’s Personal Pizza pictorial recipe. For other great healthy, kid-friendly recipes visit Nutra-Net.org.
Watch the Complete Episode:
Episode Panelists:
Deborah Markenson, KC’s Childhood Obesity Collaborative-Weighing In Director
Lisa Medrow, RD, LD, Executive Director
Gretchen Speer Patch, MPH, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Kansas City Metro Relationship Manager
Michele Crumbaugh, Food Service Director, Independence School District
RESOURCES FROM THE SHOW:
Rationale
National School Lunch Program
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
Nutrition Education
Teen Health Mentor Program – Nutra-Net
ReadB4UEat – Nutrition Lessons designed for youth in grades 5-7
Going Green
Farm to School
National Farm to School Network
Kansas City Community Gardens
Food and Water in the Classroom
USDA Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Program
Getting More Out of School Meals
School meals
School meals toolkit
Nutrition Outside the Cafeteria Additional Resources: Special thanks to the Heart of America School Nutrition Directors Funding for Generation XL is provided by:
Alternative Rewards and Celebrations
Sample healthy school celebrations – for both food and non-food ideas
Nourishing Preschool Children Ages 2-5: A Reference Guide for Parents (English)
Nourishing Preschool Children Ages 2-5: A Reference Guide for Parents (Spanish)
Feeding Preschool Children Ages 2-5: A Reference Guide for Childcare Providers
Exploring New Flavors: How to Shape Kids’ Food Preferences at Home and at School
Simple Changes for Improving the School Eating Environment and Experience
Marketing Healthy Choices in the School Cafeteria
NFSMI Best Practice Guide for In-Classroom Breakfast
You Did It: How to Reward and Motivate Kids without Using Food
Product Calculator
Webinar: Back to Basics: How to Incorporate Scratch Cooking into Your School Kitchen
Webinar: Nudge: Applying Behavioral Economics in the Cafeteria
